AI bots cuddle humans
If 2022 introduced the world to Dall-E 2 and ChatGPT platforms — both from San Francisco-based OpenAI — the new year will see these AI bots sipping the metaphorical Kool-Aid while homo sapiens are at their scared best. Dall-E 2 generates realistic images from text-based queries while ChatGPT can give you an essay based on what you key in at the text prompt. Scared? Actually, you should be furious if you are an artist because Dall-E 2 learns from what is already available out there. No, it’s not about you visiting the office to find an AI bot twirling in your chair; it’s about channelling the power of AI in the right direction. AI bots don’t have an understanding of political situations or what makes an answer relevant but more players will enter the AI area and make things appear (rather than ‘be’) complicated. Like the saying goes, ‘mo AI, mo problem’. Let’s hope regulations are not far behind.
XR = VR+AR+MR
Looks like algebra but XR is extended reality or an umbrella term to cover virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). If you think Mark Zuckerberg will continue making huge losses in his metaverse, well, the man may recover some ground with devices from Oculus headsets while Apple may get its next big device in years — a virtual reality/extended reality headset. The idea of XR tech is to take human-to-PC screen interfaces and modify them by immersing users in a virtual environment or by augmenting the user’s surroundings (AR)… or perhaps a mix of both. There are reports that say XR could be a $160 billion industry in 2023. We hope you don’t buy expensive gadgets on your credit card.
Two of us
Regulators around the world will clamp down on social media networks, making moderation mandatory. Oops, where do we take our shouting and blame games? Don’t worry, there is a chance that you will have two versions within a social media app — one that will have the default service of mud-slinging matches while the other will be by the book. Regulators will be happy. Users will be happy after a few clicks in the settings menu.
Balle-balle streaming. Plus, ahem
So far it has been about shows from South Korea but streaming services will be more focussed on the Indian market in 2023. Amazon has already made a big investment in content from India and Netflix is getting there. Give it a few more months and almost all services will have more India-based content for the global audience. One of the most in-demand movies last year globally has been RRR and this year Paramount+ will launch through a partnership with Viacom18. Indians made up approximately six per cent of immigrants in the US in 2020, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
And the ahem? Think of this: Amazon has its streaming device. Apple has one too. Google too has a device. These streaming devices have a substantial installed base, so what if Amazon and Apple start pushing their content more on their devices?
Think green, earn green
Expect more ‘manufactured in India/Vietnam’ tech products than ever before. The pandemic showed the overexposure of multinational companies to the Chinese market, allowing the Xi Jinping-led nation to call the shots over supply chain. The change has already started, companies have started taking baby steps. Take the example of Apple, which is already making iPhone 14 here. Apple-rival Samsung already has India as a key manufacturing hub.